Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is set to meet former U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on 7 November. In a video posted on his Facebook page, Orbán stated the purpose of the visit is to establish a strategic economic partnership with the Trump administration. n nHe noted that sanctions imposed on Hungary during the previous administration under Joe Biden had been politically motivated and emphasized that these measures were lifted within the past six months. The next phase, according to Orbán, involves deepening economic collaboration between Hungary and the United States. To support this goal, a Hungarian delegation has prepared a comprehensive package outlining bilateral cooperation in trade and investment. n nAs previously reported by Hungarian Conservative, Balázs Orbán, political director of the prime minister’s office, indicated that discussions would cover economic, defense, and energy matters. An analysis by Hungarian outlet Index suggests the meeting could initiate a new energy alignment between the two nations. While Hungary continues to rely on Russian energy supplies, it is increasingly exploring American nuclear technology and, to a lesser extent, U.S. natural gas. One government source described the dynamic as a convergence of supply and demand with contemporary geopolitical implications. n nSpeculation about the meeting’s outcomes has emerged in Western media and policy circles. The Atlantic Council suggested Trump might urge Orbán to withdraw his opposition to Ukraine’s EU accession talks. James Batchik wrote that the visit could serve as leverage for Washington to encourage Budapest to cease obstructing European support for Kyiv, potentially in exchange for economic incentives or sanctions relief. n nOrbán last met Trump at the White House in 2019 for a 30-minute private discussion followed by a joint press briefing. At that time, both leaders highlighted enhanced cooperation in defense, trade, and energy, while affirming shared views on migration and the protection of Christian communities. Trump commended Orbán for maintaining national security and compared his leadership style to his own, noting both are often labeled controversial. The White House confirmed intentions to strengthen ties in cybersecurity, NATO, and energy sectors. n
— News Original —nOrbán Aims Strategic Economic Partnership with US at Trump Meetingn nHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on 7 November. According to a recent video uploaded to the prime minister’s Facebook page, the goal of the visit is to ‘establish strategic economic partnership’ with the Trump administration. n nThe prime minister explained that there had been politically motivated sanctions imposed on Hungary by the previous administration, led by former president Joe Biden, which, he noted, had been removed over the past six months. n nOrbán added that the next step is to develop strategic economic cooperation with the Trump administration. ‘To achieve this second objective, the Hungarian delegation has prepared a comprehensive Hungarian–American economic cooperation package,’ he concluded. n nAs Hungarian Conservative reported earlier, political director of the Hungarian prime minister Balázs Orbán stated that the agenda of the highly anticipated meeting would include economic, defence, and energy issues. In a detailed analysis, Hungarian outlet Index claimed that the Washington meeting could lay the foundation for a new US–Hungarian energy axis: while Hungary maintains its Russian sources, it is making a strategic opening towards American nuclear technology and, to a lesser extent, natural gas. ‘They need markets, we need security alternatives. It’s a classic case of supply meeting demand—just with a modern geopolitical dimension,’ as one government source aptly put it. n nSpeculation over the outcome of the meeting is already ongoing in Western media and among think tanks. The Atlantic Council, for instance, said in an analysis that Trump might ask Orbán to lift his veto on Ukraine’s EU accession. ‘The Trump team should press Orbán to stop playing spoiler and allow Europe to take the meaningful action it needs to as Ukraine’s biggest backer. So in exchange for any sanctions relief or economic deals, Orbán’s White House visit would be a perfect opportunity to end Budapest’s obstruction of Ukraine’s EU accession progress,’ James Batchik wrote. n nOrbán last met Trump in the White House in 2019 for a 30-minute private audience followed by a joint press conference. The two leaders emphasized deeper cooperation on defence, trade, and energy while underscoring a shared commitment to ‘Christian communities’ and migration control. Trump praised Orbán’s work, saying he had ‘kept his country safe’ and likening him to his own approach of being ‘controversial’. The White House stated that the two sides would focus on strengthening cooperation in trade, energy, cybersecurity, NATO, and defence.
